The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1887-02-24
Indenendent Pension Bill.

Please allow me space in your valu-
able paper to say a few words in re-
gard to the Dependent Pension Bill,
as to who would be benefited by it, &c.
The bill provides that all soldiers who
served in any war three months or
more in the military or naval service
in which the U. S. was engaged and
was honorably discharged therefrom
and are incapacitated from perform
labor, and are dependent on same for
support, shall be entitled to a pension
of $12 per month, providing such dis
ability is not caused by his own care
lessness or neglect. [ now propose to
show who would have been benefited
by this bill had it become a law. ]
will take the old soldiers that are in
the infirmaries. Would not they be
benifted by this bill. [ will now
take the case of Robert Lynch, Of
jamestown, for example, as every per-
son knows that is acquainted with
him that he is wholly incapacitated
and has not been able to work for a
number Of years. This old veteran
served all through the war, in the
Vicksburg and Atlanta campaigns
and with Sherman to the sea. And
might name many others that have
come under my own observation, in
the last six or eight years, that are in
the same condition as comrade Lynch
Would not such men as they, poor old
broken down soldiers, would not they
be benefited by this bill? Had it be-
come law, an act Of both Houses OF
Congress, to allow the old broken
down disabled veteran. The enormous
magnificent sum of S12 per month
But stop Here comes the ex-Sherif
of Buffalo, and puts his foot down or
the bill, with crafty heart and hand
and puts the cursed copper down or
the soldiers card. But, says an ole
comrade, the reason the President die
veto the bill, he wanted to give every
soldier a pension. Evidently my ole
comrade had not read the Presidant's
message, or he would have thought
differently. The President says the
bill would stimulate weakness and put
a further premium on dishonesty
According to the tone Of the veto
message the President thinks all pen.
sioners are dishonest. The Chief Mag.
istrate Of a great Nation with a sou
so little as to put forth such slur al
the very men that saved it and made
it possible for such men as be to be
chief ruler. Had it been otherwise ht
might possible have only been fourth
rate P. M. under different kind o1
administration, or maybe only a pen
sion agent, collecting the back pay
for the victorious followers Of Jeffer
son Davis. Again the ex-Sheriff ot
Buffalo says, II cannot but remember
that the soldiers of the late war were
more literally compensated for theil
services than any others since any
others since mankind first went tc
war;" The princely sum of $13 pei
month to stand up and be shot at, tc
sleep on the ground, to wade swamps
and swim rivers, with the mercury
down to zero and part of the time this
$13 was only worth half its face. But
to return to the bill. While it was
not what it ought to have been, there
certainly was some good in it for the
widows and orphans and disabled sol
diers, or who shall hereafter become
disabled. If I understand the bill as
it is, it did not require an old soldie,
to swear that he was pauper, but
only to the extent that he was disa-
bled from performing manual labor
have we not a board Of learned physi-
clans to examine and determine wheth-
er man is disabled or not, or does the
old soldiers in the homes and the in
firmaries have to swear such that they
are paupers? The fact of their being
there [ think is prima facie evidence
that they are not able to support
themselves.
While many of us would not receive
anything under this bill that are only
partially disabled, we could have some
consolation to, see old comrades
get something and we would have
known when we become disabled that
we would have received $12 per month.
But then if an old soldier should get
crippled while laboring to keep the
wolf from the door, or mashed up in
mines or at anything while pursuing
the daily vocations Of life, it would be
in the light the Great DEM
ocratic President puts it. Vote for a
change, was the cry before Cleveland
was elected and great many Of the
old soldiers got it that voted for him
in the shape of vetoed pension bills.
ISAAC ROMAN,
Late Private Co. E., 10th KY. V. |.
IT, is said that there are ovar a